Malaya
Malaya was the 775th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 351 babies. Its best year was 2013, when it ranked 633rd; the most babies were born in 2014 (449). Over the last ten years it has moved down 49 places. More babies were named Malaya in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning the Malay Peninsula region (place name) · English, Malay
Say it muh-LAY-uh /məˈleɪə/
- Rank in 2025
- #775 girls, down 108 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 351girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2014449 babies
- Total since 1880
- 8,467babies recorded
What does the name Malaya mean?
Malaya is the name of the southern Malay Peninsula region, now West Malaysia. Wiktionary explains it as Malay plus the Latin place ending -ia; Malay comes from the people's own name, Melayu. Malaysia, the name of the modern country, is formed from the same root. As a given name Malaya may also be heard as a variant of names like Malia, though our sources do not document that. US records show Malaya from 1977.
Melayu (Malay, “Malay (people)”)
How sure is this? Probable. The place-name source is documented; other possible sources for some families are not covered by our sources.
Related names: Malaysia, Malia.
See also: English names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Malaya' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Malaysia' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Malaya popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #775 | 351 |
| 2020 | #667 | 429 |
| 2010 | #846 | 318 |
| 2000 | #1,994 | 84 |
| 1990 | #10,912 | 7 |
| 1980 | #11,419 | 5 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Malaya, counting every spelling?
Malaya is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #471 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #775 for Malaya on its own. Together these spellings went to 673 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malaya | 351 | #775 | 1,870 |
| Malayah | 223 | #1,084 | 1,363 |
| Maleia | 59 | #2,880 | 318 |
| Malaia | 28 | #4,833 | 152 |
| Maleiah | 6 | #14,293 | 63 |
| Malaiah | 6 | #14,291 | 57 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Malaya?
351 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Malaya (0.10 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Malaya born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 24 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Malaya.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Malaya?
About 8,400 people born in the US named Malaya are alive today, with a median age of 11; half are between 6 and 17. That makes Malaya a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Malaya by state
How common Malaya was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in South Carolina (2.9×), Mississippi (2.7×), Louisiana (2.4×), Georgia (2.2×), Alabama (2.1×). In 17 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Malaya: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Malaya, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Malaya · Sibling names for Malaya
Questions about the name Malaya
What does Malaya mean?
Malaya means “the Malay Peninsula region (place name)” (English, Malay origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Malaya?
Malaya was the 775th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 351 babies. Its best year was 2013, when it ranked 633rd; the most babies were born in 2014 (449). Over the last ten years it has moved down 49 places. More babies were named Malaya in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Malaya a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Malaya in the US.
Where is Malaya most popular?
In 2021–2025, Malaya was most common in South Carolina (0.67 per 1,000 girls), followed by Mississippi and Louisiana.